Guwahati, Dec 5: The authorities of Gauhati University on Friday dismissed allegations that it had opened the examination form fill-up window a day before the commencement of exams, terming the claims “baseless and misleading.”
The University, in a statement, said that the window had not been reopened at the last minute but had been kept accessible to ensure that no student was put at a disadvantage due to genuine constraints.
In a detailed clarification, the university authority said the step was taken in a “student-centric manner” to assist those who had been unable to complete the process within the initial schedule.
Officials said such flexibility was essential given the scale of the University’s academic operations, which include more than 250 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes across regular and arrear batches.
The university officials noted that scheduling examinations for all programmes within a limited timeframe remains a “complex academic and administrative exercise.” Despite this, the examination calendar for the current cycle was compressed from 45 days to 30 days, balancing operational requirements with the larger interest of students, the statement said.
Responding to criticism linked to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the University clarified that it would be “incorrect” to suggest that examinations are the sole or final objective of the framework. NEP, it said, emphasises holistic learning through adequate contact hours, curriculum flexibility, and academic depth.
Students are encouraged to explore common courses, audit classes initially, and then make informed choices during registration. With NEP implementation, the number of examinable courses has nearly doubled due to the addition of AEC, VAC, MDC and SEC modules. This has expanded both the volume and duration of examinations, making a more compressed and structurally efficient schedule necessary, the University said. Registrar Prof. Utpal Sarma rejected the charge of any administrative lapse.
“We strongly deny the allegation and reiterate that Gauhati University functioned in the most transparent and student-friendly manner. The window remained open not due to oversight but as an intentional step to ensure no student is left behind,” he said. He urged affiliated colleges to adhere strictly to prescribed timelines for admission, registration and examination approvals so that results can be declared on schedule.
IANS
